Deraavaad Sant

When people – specially of Indian origin – see somebody claiming to be a holy man, they fall on his feet. He may be a first-class thief under his outer covering, but nonetheless he is revered!

Because, in ignorance or greed, we readily accept anyone who says “I am God”, “I have seen God”, “I will show you God”, “I can give you son – ਦੁਧ ਪੁਤ”, “I can improve your business”, “I can fulfill all your desires”, “I can win your lawsuit”, and so on.

Nowadays, for various reasons, if someone just wants to live as a “freeloader” in the society, he becomes a Sant (Saint)! A well paying business indeed, wherein there need not be any investment and therefore, it is a safe activity of “all gains and no loss”! Also, there is no need to toil! In fact, many disguised in the dress of Sant (ਭੇਖ, ਬਾਣਾ) are hardcore criminals running from the law!

Consider the following verses in which Bhatt Bhikhaa Ji (whose Bani is included in the SGGS) mentions of spending one year (“ਬਰਸੁ ਏਕੁ ਹਉ ਫਿਰਿਓ”) searching for a true Sant, but could not find one. He found all them to be sweet talkers on the outside, but full of Maya’s poison or corruption on the inside (i.e., fraud…). Finally, he gave up his search and came to the Guroo Sahib.

The present day Sant and their Deraas are probably the descendent (ਔਲਾਦ) of the same fraud referred to by Bhatt Bhikhaa Ji in the Gurbani above. Undoubtedly some may be new ones as well! Nonetheless, they are religious con men, who have reduced the Gurbani, Sikhi, or Dharma to a mere mundane business (“ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ” ਧੰਧਾ; “ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ” )!).

According to the Gurbani, the Real Deraa is the Eternal One (True, Sachaa, ਸਚਾ, ਅਸਲ, ਪੱਕਾ, ਸਦੀਵੀ ਟਿਕਾਣਾ…), and the value of that Deraa beyond is known only to those, who, through the Gur-Shabad, brcomes fit for Grace of the Perfect Lord:

Why, per the Gurbani, a worldly Deraa (ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਡੇਰਾ) is not the true (Sachaa-ਸਚਾ) Deraa? Because, as the Gurbani says, it is perishable (temporary, fleeting, not lasting, Maya, etc.)- nothing in this Mayaic world is permanent:

Then why these so called Sant are so attached to the worldly Deraas furnished with expensive cars, luxurious lifestyle, etc.? Some are even contemplating having their private jets and landing strips in their Deraas (probably some already have them!)! Clearly, to support their Mayaic lifestyle of “freeloaders” in the society, they don’t care what the Gurbani (Gurmat) says, for they don’t believe it anyhow. If they did, then they would be living according to the Giaan (Wisdom, Oupadesh…) of the Gur-Shabad.

These “freeloaders” live a life of “Dhroh” (“ਧ੍ਰੋਹ”=> to live freely off others and, in return, mislead them…). The Gurbani indicates those engaged in vulturous “Dhroh” (“ਧ੍ਰੋਹ”) are full of Bikaar (lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride….).

Instead of searching the Truth ourselves, we accept “Thugs” who come along claiming to be Holy, etc. Such “Thugs” and swindlers are pullulating nowadays every where in the world. If one is not alert, he can be easily distracted, cheated, trapped and snared into their net of Bharam-Jaal or Maya-Jaal (traps of illusion, delusion…). Baabaa Nanak is asking global-mankind to be on the alert — this is what he indicates when he says, “ਤਾ ਕੈ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਲਗੀਐ ਪਾਇ ॥ – don’t ever touch their feet”.

Note the last two verses in the foregoing Slok: ਘਾਲਿ ਖਾਇ ਕਿਛੁ ਹਥਹੁ ਦੇਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਹੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਸੇਇ ॥੧॥: One who works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has – O Nanak! He knows the Path ||1||.

The Gurbani’s Teachig is that one should work with his hands (Kirat Kamaaee – ਕਿਰਤ ਕਮਾਈ) while keeping the consciousness united with the Niranjan within, which, again, these fraud Sant do not follow – they don’t work for what they eat. Clearly, they don’t care what Baabaa Nanak tells them in the Gurbani.

Simply put: If a so called Sant does not righteously work with his hands to earn his living, then he is not even a Sikh (student/learner of the Gurbani-ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਤੋਂ ਸਿਖਿਆ ਲੈਣ ਵਾਲਾ) let alone, a Sant!!!!!

Because they themselves cannot see beyond Maya, they mislead people and put them on the path of Maya (attach them to body-consciousness…).

If they themselves are so spiritually sick, then how in the world they are going to cure others! In other words, how they can de-toxicate others from the addiction to which they themselves are addicted to! [ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਸੋਭਾ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਰੇ ਨਾਹਿ ॥ ਆਵਤ ਪਹੀਆ ਖੂਧੇ ਜਾਹਿ ॥ (sggs 872)].

Apparently, they don’t understand or believe what the Gurbani says! They only believe and do whatever their crooked, Mayaic minds tell them to do. That will put them in the category of self-willed, Manmatee, etc. (i.e., Manmukhs, Saakats, Asants, Asaadh, Thugs…).

If they don’t follow Truth (ਸਚ-Sach) of the Gurbani, then they are religious con men swindling people (Thugs, thief, ਠੱਗ, ਚੋਰ…) in the name of the Gurbani, Dharma, and Sikhi.

Whatever they do is to trap people as: ਕਰਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ਬਹੈ ਪਖਿਆਰੀ ॥ (sggs 871.

Thus, instead of linking with their own Mool within as demanded by the Gurbani, these fake Sant are linking themselves and others with Maya [ਹਉ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਾਂਠੇ ਜਾਇ ਪਹੂਚਾ ॥੨॥ (sggs 659)].

These tricksters (along with their corrupt lackeys – pupils, politicians buddies…) have done tremendous damage to the Teaching of the Gurbani (Gurmat) – they have mislead people away from the True Instruction (“ਸਿਖੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ”) of the Gur-Shabad and put them on the path of Karamkaand, rituals, dogmas, Bhekh (ਭੇਖ-garbs), Jaat-Paat, worldly entanglements (“ਆਲ ਜਾਲ”, ਪੁੱਠੀ ਮੱਤ), etc., from which the Gurbani frees us (ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਹਾ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਵਸਿ ਆਲ ਜਾਲ ॥: sggs 1194)!!

Since they themselves are not linked with the Gur-Shabad within, then how are they going to link others with it? They cannot. Instead, they are linking people to themselves; ruining (spiritually) themselves and others in the process [ਲੋਗੁ ਗੰਠਿ ਗੰਠਿ ਖਰਾ ਬਿਗੂਚਾ ॥ (sggs 659)].

In my understanding all references in SGGS ji either SINGULAR or PLURAL are for Gur Joti ..EKANKAARu as the only Ultimate Entity.
It is further important to observe that Gurbaanee is all telling about a WAVE/WAVES character of this Ultimate Entity that is why we have SINGULAR and PLURAL references which are applicable to such a character of the ENTITY. Even NAAMu/NAAM is reference of A WAVE of a specifific word for SABADu.